The smartwatch has established itself firmly in the field of wearable technology. It has come a long way, and now has both sporty and sophisticated versions. Montblanc, revered in the circles of luxury stationery, jewellery, and watches, released its own version of smart wearables with the ‘Summit’. The Summit embodies fine German craftsmanship coupled with the latest in Android Wear. Is it worth considering merely for its brand value or does it truly bring something to your tech ensemble? Here’s what we think.

Design In terms of design, it would be difficult to set the Summit far apart from the Tag Heuer smartwatch. It’s just as elegant, with plenty of functionality to boot. The 1.39-inch AMOLED display sports a 400 x 400-pixel resolution, making the content look sharp and precise under the domed Sapphire Glass touchscreen. Visibility indoors and out is not a problem, especially when brightness is set to auto. In a bid to make the watch reminiscent of a traditional timepiece, Montblanc has given it the domed glass, a first for a smartwatch. The strap our review unit came with is respectful of Montblanc’s signature finish in black calfskin, making it quite comfortable. Three other options for the Summit include — bi-colour steel case with navy blue rubber strap, stainless steel case with green rubber strap and a titanium case with a brown sfumato strap. The straps are also easily swapped, thanks to the simple clasp lever system.

The rather prominent crown houses the singular ‘menu’ protruding button embellished with the iconic Montblanc logo. The reverse features a heart rate monitor and magnetic charging pins for the charging cradle. The Summit is a large watch by smartwatch standards, and can seem a little heavy at times. With an IP68 certification, The Summit is water resistant to an extent — it’s okay in the rain but not while swimming. The stylish black setting makes the Summit more of a business-wear device.

Functionality The Summit works seamlessly with both Android and Apple’s iOS platforms. It is equipped with a built-in microphone for voice notes, messages or Google’s Assistant, that can be used for search, activating device functions verbally or sending a message via voice to text. While Android Wear works fluidly (thanks to 512MB of RAM and 4GB of storage), some features have a slightly sluggish response time. Speech to Text, for instance, can be a little difficult while responding to a message.

For the sports enthusiast, there are plenty of apps available from Google’s in-house ‘Google Fit’ to any number of third party options like Runtastic. It’s a great way to keep tabs on your daily workouts and health routines. The presence of Wi-Fi and built-in GPS ensures you’re always connected and can keep track of where you are at all times, or where your Uber is. 300mAh may seem like a solid provision for a watch battery, however, for a busy lifestyle, the Summit will need to be charged daily after about 18 hours on an average.

The Bottom line It is adequate as a device for everyday technology and elegant at the same time. The quality of the materials used and the finish is absolutely top notch. The only caveat is its battery life, and the decorative crown. Starting at ₹70,000, the Summit is reasonably priced.

Dhiram Shah is the Mumbai based editor of luxurylaunches.com

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